I think recipes are more a matter of philosophy than formula.  In a way, that contradicts tradition as well as modern convention.  We are surrounded by cook books and websites which prescribe exact measurement of specific ingredients.  I, too, learned cookery by the book, leveling the sugar or shortening in the cup with the straightest-edged knife, including only those items specified and only in the proportions sanctioned in the pages of Good Housekeeping or great grandmother’s spidery notes.

     That sound training was undermined in a great epiphany spurred by a tiny experiment.  Having sampled some ethnic delight or other and being unable to locate a book to guide me, I resorted to smelling various spices, trying various textures and techniques, until I recreated the pleasure of the restaurant dish.

     No one was harmed and the earth remained stable – extrapolating from that success, it was impossible not to realize that a recipe is more of a guideline than a rule.  Not such a heresy, afterall, when one considers that, on a deeper and more practical level, it is far more traditional and sustainable to allow whatever ingredients and appetites are present to enform the dish and guide ones culinary endeavors.

     That said, it is often helpful to have some of those malleable guidelines to hand when embarking on a foray into the vast untried, or a plain, weeknight dinner.  Here are some techniques and templates I find useful.